Carmen’s Crew advances to Elite Eight of The Basketball Tournament

For the third straight year, Carmen’s Crew — previously known as Scarlet and Gray — have won the Columbus Regional of The Basketball Tournament and advanced onto the quarterfinals, just like they did their first two years in TBT. This year was no different. Their team might look slightly different, but their dominant performance in Columbus continued.

The team’s first game of this year’s tournament Friday night was one that got the team — which is mainly filled with former Ohio State Buckeyes — back in their groove in a city they once called home during their time playing college basketball. As the No. 1 seed in the region, Carmen’s Crew played eighth-seeded Illinois BC. The top seed dominated throughout much of the game, inevitably winning, 88-71. William Buford (16 points), LaQuinton Ross (15), and Evan Ravenel (13) led the scoring. Carmen’s Crew’s full-court defense was just too much for Illinois to beat all game long.

Then came Saturday afternoon’s showdown against Big X, a team that has a number of former Buckeyes as well. With CJ Jackson and Keyshawn Woods as players and Andrew Dakich as the head coach, they are the only other team with Ohio State alumni in The Basketball Tournament.¹

Holding just a one-point lead at halftime, Carmen’s Crew used the second half to prove that they are the much better team, beating Big X, 89-75. Buford (24 points) once again led the team. David Lighty had 12, while Jon Diebler, Aaron Craft, Ross, and Jeff Gibbs each had 11. Jackson and Woods each had 12 points for Big X.

In what was a jam-packed, loud environment for the regional championship, with both Ohio State and Dayton fans packing the Capital University gymnasium, it was one heck of an atmosphere Sunday afternoon for a game that featured Carmen’s Crew against the Red Scare (Dayton alumni).

Red Scare held a lead throughout much of the first half, Carmen’s Crew was able to gain a two-point lead heading into the halftime locker room. Then, like they did the first two games of the tournament, the scarlet and gray dominated the second half. While the fact that Red Scare only had seven players definitely helped, Carmen’s Crew continued to put pressure on their opponent and get them more and more tired as the game went on. In what was a close game throughout the first half and a little into the second half, the scarlet and gray pulled away, winning the regional championship, 85-71.

Like he did the first two games, Buford led the team with 23 points. Lighty (18) and Diebler (nine) were the other top scorers.

It’s clear that Carmen’s Crew was the most in-shape team in the region. They dominated each of the three second halves when it became evident that their opponents just didn’t have anything left in the tank. Carmen’s Crew coaches Jared Sullinger and Dallas Lauderdale helped with that too. They made sure to give the team’s best players some much-needed breakouts throughout all of the first halves, that way they were ready to go the entirety of the second half when the other team was starting to slow down.

Even if their offense goes stagnant at times, Carmen’s Crew’s defense will be something that their opponents have nightmares about. It helps that Craft is on the team, too. His all-out defense and the fact that he willingly does anything and everything possible to put his team in the best position to win is something that will help Carmen’s Crew going forward.

Just three wins away from $2 million, Carmen’s Crew hopes that their new name will give them a different ending in this tournament. In 2017, they lost in the semifinals; 2018 they lost in the quarterfinals. This year, with a team that is much more perimeter-oriented than years past, they hope to run their opponents out of the gym while breaking them down from the outside in. So far, it has worked. Now, they have to keep that momentum going in Chicago.

Carmen’s Crew will take on the winner of the Salt Lake Regional in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. ET on August 1 in Chicago.

1. Big X also has former Buckeye Jae’Sean Tate on their roster but after doing well in the NBA Summer League, he decided to sit out TBT. [↩]